Former players of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers set a mini-reunion inside the PBA bubble in Clark, Pampanga.
Feasting over packed lunch at Quest Hotel in Mimosa, NorthPort's Kevin Ferrer, Blackwater's Ed Daquioag, San Miguel's Louie Vigil and Ginebra's Aljon Mariano were all smiles to the camera despite now being rivals at the opposite side of the court.
"#onceatigeralwaysatiger," Ferrer captioned in his Instagram Story Saturday, tagging his fellow UST teammates.
The four met for the last time in the UAAP during the 77th season in 2016, wherein UST finished sixth under the helm of coach Bong Dela Cruz.
Mariano was on his last playing year at that time, Ferrer and Daquioag with one year left and Vigil in his third season.
The Tigers bounced back the following year, this time led by Ferrer and Daquioag, who were named to the Mythical Team selection, and made it back to the playoffs with a twice-to-beat advantage at first place with an 11-3 record.
Rivals Far Eastern University Tamaraws also finished with the same win-loss slate but only ranked next to UST due to the quotient rule.
The two teams eventually locked horns in the best-of-three Finals with FEU edging UST to capture the UAAP Season 78 title.
Post-collegiate, Ferrer had teamed up with Mariano in Ginebra before getting traded to NorthPort while Daquioag was drafted by the Meralco Bolts before jumping ship to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters then to the Blackwater Elite.
Vigil and Mariano remained with their teams, San Miguel and Ginebra respectively, since starting their PBA career.
Another Tiger is also rising to the occasion in rookie Renzo Subido, who joins his senior Ferrer in NorthPort.